logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
1h 6m

510. America in '68: The Killing of Robe...

Goalhanger
About this episode

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another”


As Attorney General during JFK’s presidency, Bobby had often played second fiddle to his older brother. But by 1968, Robert F. Kennedy had become a distinct political leader dedicated to social justice. In March he declared he would run in the primaries to become the Democratic presidential candidate. He galvanised support amongst marginalised communities, young people, and anti-war voters, and in the immediate aftermath of Martin Luther King’s assassination, he gave an emotional impromptu speech to a predominantly Black crowd, mentioning his own brother’s assassination for the first time in public. On the evening of June 4th, it was announced that Bobby had won the California primary. With bleeding palms from shaking so many hands along the campaign trail, he gave a victory speech to a crowded room of supporters in the Ambassador Hotel. But the joy was to come crashing down as tragedy struck the Kennedy family once more…


Listen as Dominic and Tom discuss another of 1968’s American assassinations, and the build up to the moment when Bobby Kennedy died in the arms of a seventeen-year-old kitchen busboy.


_______


*The Rest Is History LIVE in the U.S.A.*

If you live in the States, we've got some great news: Tom and Dominic will be performing throughout America in November, with shows in San Francisco, L.A., Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston and New York.


Tickets on sale now at TheRestIsHistory.com

_______


Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
607. Nelson’s Lover: The Scandalous Lady Hamilton
Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to become a model, actress, dancer, and even an international celebrity? And, why was theirs one of the most famous love affairs of all ... Show More
1h 13m
Oct 5
606. Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood
Who was Enoch Powell, the deeply controversial British conservative politician? Why is he the father of Brexit, and possibly even Reform? And, how did he come to make his inflammatory ‘Rivers of Blood speech’, in 1968? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Enoch Powell - one of th ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 1
605. Greek Myths: Jason & The Quest for the Golden Fleece (Part 4)
What terrifying trials did Jason and the Argonauts have to overcome to win the famous Golden Fleece from a fire-breathing dragon, in one of the greatest greek myths of all time? When and where does this thrilling story come from? How does it tie together the tales of Odysseus, Or ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 5
Joe Kennedy on Rebuilding Democratic Values
The battle is on in Texas, where Republicans voted to issue civil arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state to stop plans to redistrict the congressional map. Texas Democrats involved say they're “running into the fight to stand up for our democracy.” Former Democratic Con ... Show More
56m 3s
Aug 2024
Encore: Presidential Assassinations | Three Shots in Dallas | 4
On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot and killed while riding in his presidential limo through downtown Dallas. His violent and public death became one of the most traumatic moments in the nation’s history — and one of the most controversial, as Americans debated the mys ... Show More
38m 32s
Aug 2024
TRUMP IS NOW STRONGER: 20+ Phrasal Verbs, Idioms, and Advanced Terms
Yesterday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dropped out of the race for president, and he endorsed former President Donald Trump. In this English lesson, you will learn about American politics, American history, advanced vocabulary, English idioms, and those pesky English phrasal verbs. 🇹� ... Show More
16m 19s
Sep 11
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk & The Scourge Of Political Violence
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday at a conservative activism event held at Utah Valley University. President Trump called this political assassination “a tragedy,” while speaking with FOX’s Bret Baier, the President praised Kirk as “an unbeli ... Show More
32m 55s
Jan 2025
How R.F.K. Jr. and ‘Medical Freedom’ Rose to Power
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a crucial nomination hearing on Wednesday where a panel of skeptical senators probed his past, often contentious remarks.Sheryl Gay Stolberg, who covers health policy for The Times, explains how someone who’s considered on the fringe in a lot of his be ... Show More
35m 10s
Nov 2024
Herbert Hoover gave us Woody Guthrie (with David Cunningham)
Welcome to the final episode of What Just Happened, a Recall This Book experiment. In it you will hear three friends of RTB reacting to the 2024 election and discussing the coming four years. David Cunningham, chair of Sociology at Washington University in St Louis, is author of  ... Show More
24m 27s
Sep 12
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, is shot and killed during a speaking event in Utah. Jon and Dan react to the news and discuss the reactions from the left and right, and why we're seeing such a troublin ... Show More
1h 27m
Apr 2025
CLASSIC: The Man Who Assassinated Abe Lincoln's Assassin
On April 14th, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in Ford's theatre, escaping shortly thereafter and going on the run. The Federal troops in pursuit of the assassin had orders to bring Booth and any of his conspirators back alive. For most of the soldi ... Show More
34m 56s
Sep 18
Ronald Reagan: Cheating Death and Igniting a Revolution (Part 3)
*Founding Members exclusive* Ronald Reagan takes his biggest leap yet: from Hollywood star and California governor to the White House. In this episode, Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci chart Reagan’s bruising campaign against Jimmy Carter, a landslide victory that redefined Ameri ... Show More
7m 49s
Sep 12
America is in a dark era of political violence
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and commentator, was shot and killed while hosting an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Utah Governor Spencer Cox says it was a political assassination. Kirk, 31, co-founded the conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA, ... Show More
50m 34s